Kristy Reim, mother of missing Springfield sisters, claims her Lower Liberty Heights home was 'robbed' while family searched for girls

Kristy Reim, right, claims her family's Underwood Street home was "robbed" while she and her husband, Eddie Figueroa, pictured in background, were out searching for their missing daughters.
(Dave Roback I The Republican)

This story was updated at 2:57 p.m. to include comments from Springfield police Sgt. John M. Delaney.

SPRINGFIELD — Someone appears to have dealt a low blow to a Springfield couple when they were out searching for their missing daughters on Monday.

The Figueroa sisters, Janessa and Madyson, are back at their Lower Liberty Heights home, safe and sound, after disappearing for more than 24 hours. But their parents, Kristy Reim and Eddie Figueroa, believe someone broke into their Underwood Street home as they searched for their daughters, who went missing Sunday morning and were found unharmed Monday afternoon.

It was not immediately clear when the break-in might have occurred, or what specifically was taken, but someone entered the house and apparently took items as family members conducted their search.

"Our children were found (and) ... the police stated they were at a friend's house, but there was more to it. The police weren't at liberty to go into detail," Reim said in an email message early Tuesday. "The sad thing is while we were conducting a search party, someone preyed on our family and robbed our home ... ruining Christmas for my kids," Reim said.

She did not immediately respond to an email seeking more information.

Sgt. John M. Delaney, aide to Springfield Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet, said Tuesday that police have yet to receive a complaint regarding a break-in at that address.

Delaney said that a marked police cruiser had been parked in front of the home the entire time family members were out searching for the sisters.

Delaney said police continue to probe the disappearance of the two sisters.

"The police, the FBI, my friends and family, and the community deserve our heartfelt thanks for all the efforts," Reim said. "We couldn't have made it through without them."

Meanwhile, the family has "a lot of healing to do," she said. "We are trying to rise above this all. ... I am just so thankful that my kids are home with us now," Reim said.

She said her extended family has had some bad luck in recent years. Her father, Richard Reim, who took part in Monday's search for his granddaughters, was injured in the June 2011 tornado, while his girlfriend, Virginia Darlow, was killed in the twister.

Richard Reim and Darlow, both of whom lived in the Three Rivers section of Palmer, were at Brimfield's Village Green Family Campground when the tornado tossed their Winnebago camper into the air, injuring Reim and killing Darlow. Both were inside the trailer when it came crashing back down to earth.

"My girl was in my arms when we were flying in the Winnebago, and I could not help her," Richard said at the time. "It is completely devastating."

Kristy Reim said her family has "overcome many obstacles" in the past two years, citing what happened to Darlow and her father, the latter of whom battled cancer after surviving the tornado. "My father survived narrowly only to find out he had Stage 4 cancer a year later," she said.

MAP showing approximate location of Figueroa family home on Underwood Street in Lower Liberty Heights section of Springfield: